Hello, I have had this cactus for a few years now which was bought for me as a gift. The original which you can see in the picture has a large colourful 'growth' on its top. This cactus buds quite frequently and the buds can be removed and planted again but these will not produce another colourful, flower like growth like the original has. Can you please tell me what type of cactus I have and if it's possible to produce some more with the colourful buds. Thank you Cino
That colorful growth on top is grafted onto the bottom cactus. I am not real good with cacti identification, maybe someone else could tell you what two kinds they are... Also, I believe hearing at some time or another that the color of the scion is not "natural", ie. it is added like you can color celery with food coloring... However, if the color is long lasting this idea would not seem to be true. Just a thought?
Gymnocalycium The brightly colored scion is genus Gymnocalycium with it either G. horstii if it is yellow or G. mihanovichii if it is bright red. There may be other species for the other colors, or it may be that there is variation in these colors. I searched google under grafting Gymnocalycium did not find the rootstock immediately -- had to get back to English homework -- good luck. Then I gave up on English...at http://www.abccactus.com/index_1.htm#1) says that the scion is Gymnocalycium mihanovichii and the rootstock is Hylocereus trigonus. Great pictures, too. Have fun, raichael
Yes, The grafted cactus is Gymnocalycium mihanovicjii var. friederichii and the grafting stock is generally a hylocereus or a selinicerus, although Myrtillocactus geometrizans makes a much better grafting stock or scion. I doubt if the yellow cactus is gymno horstii as the skin texture is not like the species at all. Many yellow grafted cactus are chamaecereus sylvestrii or one of its hybrids. sea~
i know this is a very old post but for information sake i thought i would add this. all red, white, yellow cacti are lacking chlophyl. meaning they will not survive if you plant them on their own roots. a lot of times they will turn green and start exchanging light. if you want nice red cacti you need to graft them.
